Dan T. Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 I'm looking into spending part of a day at NASA's Kennedy Space Center as part of a Nats spring training trip. Has anybody been? It looks like the default admission price is $43.00, which includes IMAX films, all exhibits and shows, a Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour and the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame with interactive space-flight simulators. The bus ride is described as 2 hours long, which seems like too long to be held captive riding a bus. Or can you get on and off at various stops? Is it worth the price of admission? Is there an alternative to the $43 admission fee, for just a quicky tour? Any thoughts and opinions are appreciated... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ixcuincle Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Not for a ST trip. Did do so on NYE 2006 I think I know for a fact that you aren't on a bus for 2 hours. Pretty sure. Just checked out the museum and the movie. I do remember a ride but it wasn't 2 hours Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corcaigh Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 It's been quite a while but I did the tour. It isn't all about interaction (mostly think more like a walk through the Air & Space Museum with static displays, than an "experience"). I don't recall any oversized rodents or cartoon characters encouraging me to have an awesome day.. Yes, you can get off the bus at various points. For a space nerd it's well worth the time and money, and they've added to it since I toured. Just standing next to the Saturn V rocket was worth it for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan since a Fetus Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 I love the tours and think it is worth the price of admission. Of course, I used to get in for free. I have been several times. Try to go on a weekday when it is less busy. There is tons of information. The bus tour does have a couple of stops for you, you are not couped up in a bus for 2 hours. I think the bus tours are great. Take a camera. This is relevant as of 5 years ago. Never got to go to the space-flight simulator. I will one day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan T. Posted January 9, 2012 Author Share Posted January 9, 2012 Thanks guys. We don't want to spend a whole day there, just a couple of hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ixcuincle Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 I have no idea about the simulator, but I did enjoy the IMAX movie. They make you wear those goofy glasses too for 3d effect. Again, the museum and movie are worth watching. There's also a guided tour which takes you on a tower where you can see some of the bunkers and stuff where they keep the shuttle. I would say the admission would be worth it. Don't worry about the 2 hour bus thing, as people have said before, you probably are allowed on and off. Edit: If you want to spend a few hours there, you should be fine. We spent the afternoon there before heading back to Orlando. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88Comrade2000 Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 If you do the regular tour; you go to 2-3 stops. It takes a couple of hours. If you pay for the up close tour, think you go to couple of places the regular tour doesn't. I went on the up close tour in November and was able to actually see the space shuttle in VAB building. That was for a limited time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forehead Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Had a good time when we were there a few years back, though we didn't take a formal tour, and I don't remember paying $43. We got to see the new Star Trek in IMAX though, which was really cool, and what Corcaigh said, standing next to those rockets is incredible. Even more so is the rocket garden outside which has all of the first models of rocket used to send people up. I can't believe anyone ever got in those, they look like death traps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sideshow24 Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Go there and ask everyone you see why there is an air in space museum if there ain't no air in space. They'll love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 If you do the regular tour; you go to 2-3 stops. It takes a couple of hours. If you pay for the up close tour, think you go to couple of places the regular tour doesn't.I went on the up close tour in November and was able to actually see the space shuttle in VAB building. That was for a limited time. They're letting people into the VAB again? For the shuttle era, it was off limits, because they handled solid rocket fuel in there, so it was considered to be potentially full of fuel. I went in it, on a tour, but it was as a kid, pre-shuttle. ---------- Post added January-9th-2012 at 04:54 PM ---------- Go there and ask everyone you see why there is an air in space museum if there ain't no air in space. They'll love it. I once read a Nat Geo article about NASM. It opened with Buzz Aldrin, museum director, relating a story. Seems they'd just aquired a new exhibit of some kind, and they were hanging it from the ceiling. So they've got the exhibit, and a forklift to hold the thing up, while workmen attach cables from the exhibit to the ceiling. Quitting time comes around, and they aren't finished. So, they put a velvet rope around the forklift, and they go home. Aldren goes downstairs, to see how the new exhibit is going to look. While he's there, a couple walks up to the roped-off forklift, and examines it for a while. "Has this thing been into space?" "Must be, or else it wouldn't be here." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjah Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 A friend of mine did quite a bit of engineering work on the simulator they have there. I haven't been there since January 1987 though. And, like now, there wasn't much going on with the Shuttle program at that time. The rocket garden was spectacular, though. Truly incredible to see the scale of those rockets so close-up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88Comrade2000 Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 They're letting people into the VAB again? For the shuttle era, it was off limits, because they handled solid rocket fuel in there, so it was considered to be potentially full of fuel. I went in it, on a tour, but it was as a kid, pre-shuttle. ---------- Post added January-9th-2012 at 04:54 PM ---------- I think that was for a limited time. The shuttle Endeavor was being prepped for it's move to wherever it was ending up. I don't know if they are still doing that. I'll post a couple of pics when I find where I put them. When the finish the new facility in 2013 for the shuttle KSC is getting; it should be a great attraction. New Shuttle Exhibit and the next Trek movie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan T. Posted January 10, 2012 Author Share Posted January 10, 2012 Thanks for the Space Center info...let me expand this a bit... any recommendations for restaurants/pubs/must sees in Cocoa Beach? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btfoom Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Thanks for the Space Center info...let me expand this a bit... any recommendations for restaurants/pubs/must sees in Cocoa Beach? Thanks. Hi Dan, I worked down there for a couple of months before the program I was working with launched on the Shuttle. In Cocoa Beach, Coco-nuts is pretty good. There is a great bar in Cape Canaveral (near where the fishing boats dock) called Fish Lips. Great place to go for HH and/or dinner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan T. Posted January 10, 2012 Author Share Posted January 10, 2012 Hi Dan,I worked down there for a couple of months before the program I was working with launched on the Shuttle. In Cocoa Beach, Coco-nuts is pretty good. There is a great bar in Cape Canaveral (near where the fishing boats dock) called Fish Lips. Great place to go for HH and/or dinner. Cool, thanks btfoom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Never been, have been to the Johnson one here quite a bit. The Kennedy one should be worth your while....I find the early tech fascinating and frightening at the same time It took balls for those early rides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan T. Posted January 10, 2012 Author Share Posted January 10, 2012 Never been, have been to the Johnson one here quite a bit.The Kennedy one should be worth your while....I find the early tech fascinating and frightening at the same time It took balls for those early rides. That is a good point, TWA. It really seems like the aims and the effort exceeded the technology of the time, or at least pushed the technology to its limit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 I think they still are pushing the limits,just the human element can't keep up. perhaps robotics and AI will fill the gap,but it is less satisfying to most. Gonna have to get to Kennedy one of these days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reic Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Been on a few tours, the last tour I went on we took a bus to the closest observation station allowed and it took us out to the landing strip too, it was pretty awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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